The Labor enquirer., 1887-08-27


secure the free and equitable use of the
waters and franchises TO the people.
2. Transportation-The means of com.
munication or transportation should be
controlled by the people, as is the United
States postal system, and equitable rates
everywhere established.
8. Money-The establishment of ma
tional monetary system in the interest OF
the producer instead Of the speculator
and usurer by which circulating medium
in necessary quantity and full legal ten
der, shall be issued directly to the peo-
pie, without the Intervention of banks, or
loaned to citizens upon ample security at
a low rate of interest to relieve them from
the extortions of usury and enable them
to control the money supply. Postal saw
ings banks should be established. While
We have free coinage of gold, we should
have free coinage Of silver. We demand
the prompt payment of the national debt,
and condemn the further issue of interest
bearing bonds, either by the national gov
ernment, or by states, territories, counties
or municipalities.
4. Labor-Arbitration should take the
place of strikes and other injurious meth
ods of settling labor disputes; the letting of
convict labor to contractors be prohibited;
the contract system be abolished in pub
lie works; the hours of labor in industrial
establishments be reduced commensurate
with the increase of production in labor
saving machinery; employees to be pro-
tected from bodily injury; equal pay be-
ing given for equal work for both sexes,
and labor, agricultural and cooperative
associations be favored and incorporated
by law. The foundation of republic is
the intelligence of its citizens, and chill
dren who are driven into workshops,
mines and factories are deprived of edu-
cation which should be secured by proper
legislation. We desire to see labor organ
izations extend throughout all civilized
countries, until it shall be impossible for
despots to array the workingmen of one
country in war against their brothers OF
another country.
8. Soldiers and Sailors-In apprecia-
tion of the services of United States sol
diers and sailors we demand for them JUS
tice before charity. The purposely de-
preciated money paid them during the
war should be made equal in value to the
gold paid the bondholder. The soldier
was promised gold or its equivalent and
was paid in deprecated paper. The bond
holder loaned the government deprecated
paper and contracted to take it back, but
was paid in gold.
6. Income Taxa graduated income
is the most equitable system of taxation
placing the burden of government on
those who can best afford to pay, instead
of laying it on the farmers and producers
and exempting millionaire bondholders
and corporations.
Z. United States Senate-The capture
of the United States senate by million.
aires and and tools of corporations who
have no sympathy with free institutions
threatens the very existence of the repub-
lie. We demand constitutional amend
ment making United States senators elect
i've by direct vote of the people.
s. Chinese-State and national laws
should be such as shall effectually exclude
from America the Mongolian slaves and
Asiatic competition.
8. Armed Men-The employment oi
bodies of armed men by private corpora
tions should be prohibited.
10. Eqality-The right to vote is in
herent in citizenship irrespective of sex
IL. Temperance-Excessiye wealth, re-
sulting in luxury and idleness on the one
hand and excessive poverty on the other
lead to intemperance and vice. The
measures of reform here demanded viii
prove to be the scientific solution of the
temperance question.